Youth Leadership & The Creative Enterprise Programme

Hi, I’m Andria. I’m currently an Elevator through Lambeth’s ELEVATE programme, which supports young people interested in the creative industries and allows us to give back to the community. As an Elevator, I’ve been involved in a range of cultural projects, including organising and coordinating events, commissioning creative work, conducting evaluations, engaging with young people, hosting sessions, and liaising with professionals, councillors, and others across the Council. I joined ELEVATE to gain hands-on experience, build connections, and play a part in shaping culture and creativity in my community. Passionate about the world of performing arts, I aspire to work in theatre, particularly in stage management, where I can support creative work behind the scenes.

Hi my name is Antony and I was introduced to ELEVATE when I decided to say “yes” to an opportunity that I didn’t know much about and since then I have had the chance to expand my creative experiences, meet new people and create opportunities for young people in the borough I call home. I am passionate and driven to make a change for the young people in the borough, and I do this by ensuring I bring real world experiences into the rooms, whether decisions are being made. I use my platform to represent voices that are often unheard, and I strive to ensure the opportunities created meet the interests of the young people less likely to say “yes” to the unknown. Since working as an Elevator, I now work as a youth mentor, which allows me to focus on empowering youth to make strong choices, build confidence, and overcome life’s challenges with resilience, purpose, and intention.

Hi, I’m Emmanuel Dohou. I’m 21 years old and grew up in South London. my journey hasn’t always followed a straight line, but every twist and turn has brought me closer to discovering who I really am and what I’m passionate about. In 2020, I started my course to Digital Media. For the first time, I felt a genuine spark of excitement about what I was learning. I was introduced to the world of graphic design, and it felt like I had finally found my interest and found a way to express my ideas visually, creatively, and with impact. Looking ahead, one of my biggest goals is to become a professional graphic designer. I’d love to either work with a creative company where I can learn, grow, and be part of a team - or maybe even build my own brand one day. Either way, I just want to keep creating, keep getting better, and turn this passion into something real. I know it’ll take time and effort, but I’m ready for the journey.

I’m Jacob “Izrael” Appiah, known as Izzy — a musician, sound recordist, and photographer passionate about using creativity to drive social change. I started out at 20 as a director at youth-led creative agency YCUK, working with clients like Lambeth Council, BlackSeedVC, Local Globe, and The Roundhouse. Since then, I’ve photographed frontline care workers during the Covid pandemic, documented Dr. Julius Garvey’s visit to Brixton, and served as the Mayor of Lambeth’s photographer during the 2021 Jubilee celebrations. At 24, I managed projects for one of Idris Elba’s companies, blending creativity with project management and community impact. Now 25, my focus has returned to the music scene while continuing to work across the creative industries.

I’m an artist based in South London, I paint semi-realistic portraits reflecting my experiences and social justice issues. My works explore the different aspects of identity, with focuses on race, gender and sexuality. I’m interested in the intersectionality and connections between different struggles and identities. My paintings are mostly figurative, with a few explorations into landscape and abstract art.

Hey there! My name is Skye, 22 years old born and raised in South London, Lambeth. Growing up in South London I found myself exposed to creativity, community and culture. As I’ve grown older, I’ve found my expression lies within creativity, finding ways to tell stories or self-reflect through multiple mediums such as painting, sewing and journaling. My mission is to advocate for my community, to speak up for those who are yet to find their voice and just be an example, a peer and a friend to those who need it the most. I want to improve awareness and support for those who face challenges with mental health, those who are neurodivergent and/or from underprivileged communities. I’ve started my mission with ELEVATE to be a part of this growth. I enjoy working in a team where I feel valued and heard as a person. Getting to work with a range of different people and being there to provide assistance, whether that be through mentorship, evaluation or facilitating has been very fulfilling for me, and it’s something I plan to continuously work on.

I’m Shakyrah, a mixed media practitioner with six years’ experience facilitating workshops in photography, videography, spoken word, script writing, acting and more. Passionate about visual storytelling, I aim to show people they already have the tools to tell and creatively present their own stories. As someone who calls Lambeth home, I’d love to see students introduced to the possibilities of higher education earlier, not only to help them get the most from their degrees but also to guide them through the steps to maximise their university experience. I’m also an advocate for financial literacy programmes that support young people, low-income families and disadvantaged communities. Equally, I want to see more pathways into the creative sector, helping young people turn passions and hobbies into skills and careers. Above all, I believe the youth voice should be centred and heard clearly across the borough. What I enjoy most about being an Elevator is the chance to learn together in our masterclasses, whether it’s on contracting, safeguarding, or financial support, while building strong relationships with my team.